Vicky has now been using her Garmin Streetpilot III GPS in her 2003 Nissan XTerra for a little over a week now. We're both finding ourselves looking at the dash alot less. Since the GPS also displays time and vehicle speed, the only reason to look at the dash is check on whether it's time to get more gas.

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My 1997 Jeep Wrangler Sport is purring like a kitten once again. For the rest of you Jeep enthusiasts, toggling "ON-OFF" on the ignition three times in rapid succession will display the "CHECK ENGINE" light followed by an error code displayed on the digital odometer. Most of you will get a 0 or a 12, ("No Error" or "Loss of PCM power within the last 50 power cycles"). I got a 37 ("No RPM Drop at Lockup") Attaching a MODIS ODBII laptop displayed "P0740: Relationship between engine and vehicle speeds indicated failure of torque convertor clutch lock-up system (TCC/PTU sol)."

(btw: I'm told Chrysler has included a limited onboard OBDII scanner with all of their vehicles after '96/'97. Doing the 3x ignition toggle will display the most recent engine code to the digital odometer (or as a series of "CHECK ENGINE" light flashes with short flashes for numbers, pauses between digits. See TroubleCodes.net for explanations.)

Anyhoo... my uncle is an ASE-certified mechanic with over 20 years of experience. We dropped the transmission pan, cleaned the electronic transmission, and found a short in the torque converter clutch solenoid wiring. A short spray of carb cleaner followed by compressed air and a new wire wrap, and she's purring like a kitten once again.

Gotta love Jeep. The engine in the 1997 Jeep Wrangler Sport is a 170hp Inline-6 (4.0L). The tranmission is a 14-bolt automatic tranmission. The engine and trans are the same found in Jeep Cherokee Laredo... which I'm finding is incredibly easy to work on and maintain. My Jeep is now 6 years old with 87K miles... I plan on keeping her forever. To echo the Daimler-Chrysler line: "Only in a Jeep!"

Today's Weekend section of The Washington Post has things to do this fall as a topic. Cover shows autumn colors, pumpkins, and hot-air balloons in the distance.

Dizzamn... Is it really fall already??

Stuck in "Persistent Traffic Congestion"... When an one-cent increase in taxes was proprosed in a traffic tax referendum just over a year ago, Northern Virginia overlooked their traffic congestion and united to stick it out in long commutes, overcrowded roads, and aggressive driving. (Meanwhile, Tidewater Virginia wisely opted to tax themselves a penny more to ease their traffic concerns.)

Well... apparently the "region's persistent traffic congestion" was discussed in a Fairfax Debate Runs Into Traffic article in today's The Washington Post. Unfortunately, it appears that traffic congestion might eventually be handled at the county level rather than at the regional level, since Loudoun County is commited to strangling itself with "Smart Growth" to the point of "The prospects for regaining Loudoun County’s economic momentum have been “significantly

dampened,” according to Fuller. As a result, Prince William will overtake Loudoun in total value of economic activity by 2005." (Loudoun County Easterner, 09/17/2003, 'New “growth” report finds county lacking')

Oh well... like most of my neighbors, I guess I tend to avoid politics and taxation unless it's to my benefit? Considering it takes me thirty minutes to an hour to commute the 11.7 miles from house to the office during rush hour, I really think Northern Virginia should really consider its options regarding mass transit and roads. Extending the Metrorail from Vienna to Dulles would help Fairfax and Loudoun Counties enormously. The addition of lanes on Routes 28, 7, 50, and 66 appears long overdue. Fairfax County Parkway and Prince William Parkway both bear a large amount of commuter traffic and should be considered for additional lanes or improvement. If improvements to transportation take an increase in taxes or a change to county budgets, aren't the benefits immediately visible? Better transportation allows for shorter commutes, an ease on congestion, better access, and better business (making for a better economy).

Good morning from Chantilly, VA.

Tonight's dinner, courtesy of Vicky and her asawa Ken: * Grilled salmon marinaded in tapa marinade with samba olek, minced garlic, pepper, and freshly-squeezed lemon. * Fresh greens salad with sliced asian pears * Ice cold Peligrino

Kain po! Salamat!

My wife and I went out to the movies tonight. Sofia Copolla's "Lost in Translation" (with Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson) was one sincerely beautiful movie. It stars the scenery and culture of Japan as much as it does Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. It deserves every bit of the critical praise its received...

Bill Murray skillfully played a man with his glory behind him, filming a commercial amidst a culture he can't understand. Scarlett Johannson is a young woman abandoned by her husband, trying to find herself. Together they explore each other, Japan, and touch upon what it is to live...

"I just don't know what I'm supposed to be."

"You'l figure that out. The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you."

We really enjoyed it. It wasn't always rosy. It doesn't delve too deep into introspect, difficulties, or sexuality, but it presents it well. It touches upon how lost we can get, and leaves it at that.

Boil Water Notice Lifted for Northern Virginia Both the Loudoun County Sanitation Authority (LCSA) and Fairfax County Water Authority (FCWA) declared their water safe to drink as of 7pm last night (Sunday, September 21st, 2003). This is a relief to the 1.2 million of us who have been boiling their water since Hurricane Isabel knocked out power last Friday.

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I'm kinda surprised the power was on for as long as it was. Dominion Virginia Power lost power to our neighborhood around 11pm last night, it was restored around 4am this morning. My wife tells me it made the storm a lot more audible without the drone of the AC compressor, the ceiling fans, and the general noise that houses make.

Mike Lee, sounds like a fun dump trip you made. I can talk about anniversary gifts here and on my own blog, but if I were ever featured on FoodTV, I'd know about it within milliseconds of their site update. Vicky frequents the food and home & garden sites, I frequent the techie & sidekick sites.

Since I can't cook anything that doesn't come out of a can, a box, or get tossed on the grill, there's no fear of my ever making it to the front page of FoodTV. Hmmm... Does foodtv.com have a "pity chef" contest?

Vicky didn't like the "ugly Starband dish" along our fence, so we bought crepe martles earlier this year. We're using them to conceal the Starband dish on one side of our patio, and the Dish 500 dish on the other side of the patio. Little did I know just how thirsty these things wore... They almost died out on me this summer for lack of a near-daily watering.

Anyhoo, one of the martles is finally blossoming, with buds on the three others. Hardly seems worth it... :P

...but isn't it pretty?